Ontario engineering excellence recognized at 2026 project awards gala

The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Ontario (ACEC-Ontario) celebrated engineering excellence across the province at the 2026 Ontario Engineering Project Awards (OEPA) gala, held on May 7, 2026, at Carmen’s Event Centre in Hamilton.

The evening brought together more than 300 leaders from government, municipalities, industry, and the consulting engineering sector to recognize outstanding projects that are shaping communities, driving advancement, supporting sustainability, and strengthening Ontario’s infrastructure. Attendees included the Honourable Todd McCarthy, Ontario’s Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and Acting Minister of Infrastructure, and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, MPP Andrew Dowie, as well as municipal leaders, industry partners, project owners, and the award-winning project teams.

The Willis Chipman Award was presented to EnVision Consultants Ltd. for their FESTI Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting Training Facility project. (ACEC-Ontario)

This year’s highest honour, the Willis Chipman Award, was presented to EnVision Consultants Ltd. for their FESTI Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) project. The FESTI ARFF Props Control System Replacement project, located at the Fire Emergency Services Training Institute in the Region of Peel, modernized Toronto Pearson’s world-class aircraft fire training facility. This unique facility draws firefighters from around the world, offering modular, technology-driven simulations that ensure safety, realism, and compliance with international standards. EnVision Consultants provided seamless contract administration, delivering the project under demanding timelines and raising the bar for fire training excellence.

“This year’s OEPA placed a strong emphasis on infrastructure projects and showcased just how impactful consulting engineers are—not only in delivering complex outcomes, but in building community, resilience, and opportunity across Ontario,” said Ryan Matthews, chair of the ACEC-Ontario 2025–2026 Board of Directors. “The projects that were recognized demonstrate technical excellence, collaboration, and a deep commitment to the people and places we serve, ensuring the communities our industry supports continue to thrive. We also want to recognize and thank both the Ontario and Federal Governments for their unprecedented support for infrastructure investment across the province—support that is making a tangible difference at both the provincial and municipal levels.”

The 2026 OEPA program marked a milestone, with the jury introducing three new award categories to reflect evolving priorities within the profession: the Municipal Impact Award, the Humanitarian Award, and the International Engineering Collaboration Award.

“These new awards reflect how engineering continues to evolve beyond traditional boundaries,” said Andrew Hurd, executive director of ACEC-Ontario. “Whether it’s advanced design, measurable municipal outcomes, or direct humanitarian impact in the communities where we live and work, the projects and firms recognized this year demonstrate that engineering excellence today is defined as much by shared values, strong partnerships, and public benefit as it is by leadership, giving back, and the traditional consideration of innovation and technical design.”

2026 Ontario Engineering Project Award Winners

Watch the project award videos HERE.

Featured image: (L to R) David Chamberlain, chair elect, ACEC-Ontario; Ryan Matthews, chair, ACEC-Ontario; MPP Andrew Dowie, Minister Todd McCarthy; Mark Tulloch, past chair, ACEC-Ontario; and Andrew Hurd, executive director, ACEC-Ontario. (ACEC-Ontario)